


Damage Control

by stelladora



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-01-12
Packaged: 2018-09-16 16:35:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9280196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stelladora/pseuds/stelladora
Summary: After the attack on Starkiller, Hux fears for his position in the First Order. Snoke gives the General an easy way to save himself in the wake of the disaster: kill Kylo Ren.





	1. Chapter 1

Hux had considered leaving Ren behind. As the Starkiller base exploded and various spacecraft took off around him, Hux knew that he could easily leave Ren out there, wherever he had run to in the snow. No one would blame him, not his superiors in the First Order, not supreme leader Snoke. Everyone would agree that Ren had been foolish to pursue the scavenger so recklessly, and that casualties were inevitable in such a large-scale disaster.

But that was, inevitably, the word they would all use: disaster. Or worse yet, failure. Hux knew that everyone would consider him one of the worst leaders in the history of the First Order. This destruction and defeat was his fault, ultimately. Losing Kylo Ren, one of Snoke’s favorites, would be the final nail in Hux’s coffin. Going back for Kylo Ren, searching for the dark, wet shape lying facedown in the snowy forest as artillery exploded around him and the ground shook under his feet—that was damage control, intended to mitigate the blame against Hux. Staying by Ren’s bedside as other wounded troops were brought into the medbay on board _Finalizer_ , finding himself thinking about Ren in the subsequent days while he had a mountain of other tasks to focus on…that was something else entirely.

The rumors flew faster than the spacecraft. Many of Hux’s duties in the ensuing days consisted of damage control and listening to lectures. He defended himself as best he could against his superiors’ onslaught of disappointment and rage, but his own responses sounded like excuses, like the whining of a petulant child. Even in defeat, there was still farther to fall. Hux knew that his position, his rank, career, and reputation, were on the line. After the initial dust had settled, he sucked up his pride and changed his strategy from excuses and rebuttals to meek acceptance and vows to avenge himself. He was met with coldness and doubt from his superiors. His subordinates wouldn’t look him in the eye, and were exceptionally compliant now, evidently fearing General Hux’s wrath. Ordinarily such behavior would have pleased him. Now having everyone dance around him on pins and needles was aggravating, not to say insulting.

Needless to say, Hux was in an unprecedentedly atrocious mood. It didn’t help that he wasn’t sleeping. Most of the breaks in his meetings, conferences, status reports, and debriefings went to catching up on logs and data entry. He worked himself ragged, knowing that rest wouldn’t find him even if he did go back to his quarters and lie down. He absentmindedly chewed protein supplement bars in his office as he flicked through various documents on his datapad; going to meals held no appeal to him now. And so, in the rare minutes where his captains and lieutenants convinced him they had everything under control, Hux found his way to the medbay. There, he put up a pretense of caring about the other troops and officers who were recovering or atrophying after the attack on Starkiller. However it was only a matter of time before Hux turned his conversations with Dr. Hanold, the chief medic on board, to Ren.

While Hux ran himself into the ground, Ren slept. Or, rather, lay in an unconscious state with rare bouts of something resembling fitful sleep. Hanold theorized that Ren’s connection to the Force was somehow keeping him unconscious, held back from reality. So, she’d given Ren medication and was closely monitoring his condition, but expected that there was nothing she or her staff could do for him. He would wake when he was ready to, she explained vaguely. Hux was unsatisfied with that, but there was nothing to be done.

He sat for a while near Ren’s bed, replaying the final hours of Starkiller in his mind. Ren had been foolish to go after her. Hux had been foolish to go after Ren. Their stint as leaders had been characterized by bad decisions. It would only be a matter of time before Hux was removed from his post. He would probably be exiled; his father certainly wouldn’t fight to keep him around.

Hux decided he liked Ren best when he was unconscious. He couldn’t talk back, couldn’t throw tantrums and ruin equipment, couldn’t undermine Hux’s authority. The short time he spent sitting by Ren’s bedside was the only respite he had during that week. But Hux knew that it would end soon; Ren would wake up and blame him for the failure at Starkiller just like everyone else. The only silver lining Hux could see was that he would probably be relieved of command and removed from the _Finalizer_ before Ren ever regained consciousness.

* * *

 Ren lifted his eyelids with a prodigious effort. He took in the room around him—the bed, the unfamiliar monitors and equipment, the sharp sterile smell—but decided not to process them right away. He took his time thinking about everything, feeling like his mind was working in slow motion. Finally he came to the conclusion that he was in a medical facility, and that he was being treated. Something had happened to him, he had gotten hurt. That was where his brainpower ran out. Ren lay motionless, eyes open, trying not to overtax himself trying to remember it all. A woman walked past his room and happened to glance his way. When their eyes met, she gasped and froze, then took off down the corridor. Ren thought he heard some sort of commotion. Maybe not. Maybe he would just go back to sleep.

Another woman, more authoritative, came in, the first following behind her. She spoke to Ren soothingly, and Ren heard the words but couldn’t make sense of them. He tried to nod, hoping she would understand that he would go along with whatever treatment she thought best, and they could discuss this whole situation later. The doctor fiddled with the machines that were monitoring him or giving him fluids or something. Just then a man entered, speaking to the doctor and looking straight at Ren. His eyes were bloodshot, his whole face was gaunt and haggard. When he approached Ren felt an overpowering wave of energy emanate from him. It was like fear, disappointment, rage, shame mixed together and eating away at this man’s heart. Ren couldn’t figure out what people were saying to him, or even who these people were, but he knew that the Force was communicating this feeling. It was too much, it was absolutely excruciating. A sound roiled in Ren’s stomach and tore through his throat as he submitted to this energy that was more than he could bear. Before the scream had stopped reverberating off of the white walls of the medical room, Ren had passed out again.

* * *

 

Ren fully regained consciousness five days after the destruction of Starkiller base. Dr. Hanold kept a close eye on him, given his high rank. After Ren’s intense reaction to Hux’s presence, Hanold banned Hux from his room, an order that Hux pretended didn’t faze him. Neither Hux nor Hanold were certain of what had caused Ren to pass out again, but Hanold was adamant that the patient was still physically and mentally delicate, and it would be a mistake to cause him undue stress. Hearing that, Hux wondered for a second whether or not she could read his mind; all that he’d been thinking about lately were his mistakes.

Hanold ascertained that Ren was stable before probing him with questions, seeing what he could remember. “Fighting with the scavenger in the woods. She used the Force,” Ren mused, his voice weak. “Then she…I passed out in the snow,” he went on, remembering how cold it had been despite the fervor of the fight. “Then I woke up here a while ago, but I couldn’t…make sense of anything. And…” _And the General came in with his soul in shreds,_ Ren thought. But that sounded absurd. He kept that to himself and shook his head.

“That was yesterday. You seem to have your strength back now, to some extent. I’m going to keep you here until tomorrow, at least,” Hanold explained. Perceiving an argument, she continued, “Without proper care and rest you may overexert your body and your mind. You’ve been asleep for five days, you need to ease back into things.” She was gentle in her explanations, but most crew and command onboard the _Finalizer_ had heard stories of the ferocity that she hid so well.

At the mention of lying in the medbay for five days, Ren’s eyes went wide. “I’ve been here that long? What’s been going on since then? I need to contact—”

“You need to lie back and wait for the reports I pulled for you,” Hanold ordered. “I’ve lost too many good people this week to have you endanger your own life through recklessness.” There was a hard edge to her voice, and Ren got the impression that she had only just left off the word “again.” He grumbled, but ultimately acquiesced.

Hanold made good on her word, and Ren was soon lying in bed in the medbay thoroughly absorbed in the reports on the Starkiller disaster. He flicked quickly through the parts he knew and remembered, surprised at the condemning tone with which General Hux presented the story. Hux had been hard on himself, not trying to hide any of his failures or mistakes; Ren wondered what his strategy was, why he would make it easier for Snoke to label him unfit for command. He wanted to speak with Hux, but it would undoubtedly be difficult to gain an audience now, especially since Ren couldn’t leave the medbay. And Ren knew that Hux had come to see him, had been present when he first awoke. And that strange wave of energy, that pain that the Force had communicated to him… Ren didn’t want to experience that again. So he would have to content himself with the reports, rather than an in-person conversation with the General. Ren read on, eager for more information about the attack.

_Upon ordering the evacuation of the base, I attempted to contact Kylo Ren. I was_ _informed that he had followed the intruders into the woods near the control station. His communicator was down, and his tracking device showed no movement—knowing he is an asset to the First Order, I took it upon myself to locate and extract him. I found him unconscious, no one else in sight. He had sustained notable injuries, including a burn across the face and head from a lightsaber which I feared had done substantial damage. I brought him back to the_ Finalizer _via speeder and ordered him sent to the medbay under the care of Dr. Hanold. As of this report, he remains unconscious but in a stable condition._

Ren released a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Hux had been the one to save him. As staunch as their rivalry had been in the past, this new information gave Ren pause. Without Hux, he would certainly be dead. Ren knew that saving him had been a strategic choice on Hux’s part—and a smart one at that—but nevertheless the gravity of it made him reconsider their past relationship. Some would say that he now owed Hux his life. That seemed like an overly-sentimental reaction, one colored by a level of honor and respect that did not exist between the two of them. Ren put the datapad aside, thinking about how, if at all, this would change things.

While Ren was recovering in the medbay, Hux was now avoiding it. Hanold had firmly requested that he leave Ren until the patient was more stable, and Hux had left freely. He had been with Hanold, discussing the latest casualty reports, when a nurse had informed them that Ren was awake. Hux had been eager to see Ren, though he still didn’t know what he would say to him. Upon entering the room, Hux had felt, for a split-second, the distinct feeling of being watched, of having hundreds of eyes fixed on him. But it was only Ren who met his gaze, and Ren’s expression quickly turned from weak grogginess to utter pain and fear. Ren had let out a yell like someone who was being tortured; it had shocked Hux, made him fear for Ren’s life. And the worst of it was, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he had somehow caused Ren that pain, though exactly _how_ was uncertain. Evidently Hanold shared this thought. Hux had not been back to the medbay since then.

After the initial panic in the wake of the disaster at Starkiller, things had calmed somewhat. Everyone was still working at maximum capacity, Hux and his captains most of all, but it seemed as though the higher-ups had gotten a chance to catch their breath and formulate a plan. Hux had been summoned for a meeting with Snoke in the usual chamber, and as he made his way there, he tried to decided whether it would behoove him best to humbly accept the abuse and disappointment that would surely come his way, or to argue and try to defend himself. Either way, Hux knew, he would shortly be relieved of his command.

The chamber was colder than the rest of the ship somehow, a fact that Hux had always found fitting. It seemed even colder now that he was alone; he usually attended these conferences with Ren. Snoke flickered into view, and Hux felt the familiar sensation of being under scrutiny, like he was a bad child who was about to be reprimanded.

“General. I have read your reports about Starkiller,” Snoke began, his voice seeping into the cavernous room. “It seems the First Order was wrong to place trust in you.”

“The First Order is never wrong, Supreme Leader. Yes, Starkiller would have given us unprecedented power and an advantage over the rebels, but now that—”

“You have always been conniving, General. Always trying to mitigate your own faults. But I doubt that even you can come back from this. Proving that you are still an asset to the First Order will be exceptionally difficult. Set a course for the Delos system. There will be further instructions upon your arrival.”

Hux knew full well what the new instructions would entail. The Delos system was one of the bases of the First Order. There, undoubtedly, a new General would take command of the _Finalizer_. “Yes, Supreme Leader. I am eager to serve the First Order any way I can,” Hux said honestly.

“Good. Now, what of Kylo Ren?” Snoke asked. “He is awake.”

“He awoke briefly yesterday, but soon lost consciousness again,” Hux explained. “I do not—”

“He is awake,” Snoke repeated firmly. “And he has disappointed me. His training has been a waste—he lets his emotions rule him, and they lead him to failure.” Hux listened, rapt, uncertain why Snoke was telling him this. “His mistakes as well as yours brought down Starkiller. Kylo Ren is no longer of use to me. I want him removed.” Hux’s eyes went wide, his mind going a mile a minute. “How eager are you to prove your devotion to me, General?”


	2. Chapter 2

After leaving the hologram chamber, Hux gave instructions to set a course for the Delos system. He then left the bridge and moved quickly down the corridor towards his own chambers for the first time in what felt like days. He had gone there briefly after retrieving Ren in order to change out of his wet clothes before running to the bridge. Ren’s mask and lightsaber lay forgotten on a table where Hux had thrown them down after picking them up in the woods. He hadn’t had time or, frankly, desire to deliver them to Ren’s chambers. Hux walked past them again and sank into an armchair, exhaling shakily. Head in his hands, he thought about everything that had just happened.

Snoke wanted Kylo Ren dead.

Snoke wanted _him_ to kill Kylo Ren.

Snoke implied that, if he killed Kylo Ren, he would keep his rank in the First Order.

Hux’s head was swimming.

It shouldn’t be a problem for him to eliminate Ren—given their past history, it should be simple. Ever since he’d boarded the _Finalizer_ , Ren had made Hux’s life little more than a string of headaches. Between the tantrums, the childish arguments, and the reckless decisions, Ren had caused Hux immeasurable trouble. And yet Hux balked at the prospect of pulling a trigger against him. His father’s words echoed in his mind: _A weak boy, a blemish to the family name, it’s only a matter of time before he ruins everything_.

Hux cursed himself, wondering why his conscience had suddenly turned against him. If Snoke wanted this, he surely wouldn’t let Hux say no. It was either kill Ren himself, or have Snoke kill the both of them. The choice should be obvious, and yet Hux found his hands shaking. He stood up and took a deep breath, holding himself together, and began pacing the room, trying to find an outlet for his energy. He knew there was no way around this. All that was left was to decide on the proper method. Should he make it seem like an accident? Should he storm into the medbay immediately and shoot him where he lie? Should he give Ren any sort of explanation? If Ren knew what was happening, he would fight back, and Hux knew better than to think he could beat Ren when he was at full strength. Whatever Hux did, he knew it would have to be covert and preferably quick, while Ren was still recovering. Turning back as he paced, Hux caught sight of Ren’s mask and lightsaber again, and a plan began to take shape in his mind.

The thing was unstable, everyone onboard knew that. Ren had made it himself out of some broken crystal in an idiotically sentimental gesture. The lightsaber was damaged, it was practically a time bomb. No one would doubt the General if he said the thing had misfired. And Ren hadn’t won himself any friends onboard the _Finalizer_ ; no one would investigate too much. All Hux had to do was bring Ren here, on the pretense of returning Ren’s belongings, and act before Ren could figure out what was going on.

Hux picked up the lightsaber and powered it on, holding it warily away from his body. The thing vibrated madly, as if it was trying to free itself from Hux’s grip. He moved it through the air, listening to it hum and steeling himself for what he would soon do.

* * *

 

The time he spent away from the bridge gave Hux a renewed energy; he had an idea in place and managed to work, albeit distractedly, for the rest of the day. He managed to get a few hours’ sleep that night, despite nightmares that made him jolt awake, feeling sick. Ren, meanwhile, was doing little more than sleeping. He’d read the reports on the Starkiller disaster and had mulled everything over before finally deciding that he would have to speak with Hux as soon as he was able to convince Dr. Hanold to let him leave the medbay. Hux would have spoken with Snoke by now and probably have orders for Ren. Not to mention, Ren could bring up the fact that Hux had saved his life.

It was early in the morning when Hanold next came to check on him, and Ren told her in no uncertain terms that he wished to be released. She glanced at the machines monitoring Ren’s vitals and sighed.

“Your statistics seem fine, and your scar is healing, but I have to caution you. You’ve been lying in bed for nearly a week, much of that time unconscious. Your body and mind may still be weak,” she explained.

“I’m fine,” Ren replied through gritted teeth. “And I’m leaving. If I suddenly pass out in the corridor, I’ll know where to go when I wake up.” He swung his legs out of bed and stood, his vision spinning from the sudden movement. He put a hand against the wall to support himself and glared at Dr. Hanold when the room stopped swaying.

“Fine then. I’ll fill out your release forms,” she said curtly.

Ren left the medbay in the ridiculous white lightweight tunic and pants that patients were given; his own clothes and belongings were nowhere in sight, so he made for his chambers, hoping his lightsaber and mask were there but preemptively cursing Hux for not taking care of his things. Upon entering his chambers, Ren made a thorough search for his lightsaber and mask, but could not find them. Muttering abuse under his breath, he dressed in his own clothes and headed for the bridge, intent on speaking with Hux.

Few people onboard the _Finalizer_ had ever seen Ren without his mask. Ren didn’t enjoy showing his face to people who had grown to fear him—he knew it undermined his authority. And, ashamed as he was to admit it, a part of him was self-conscious about the gash across his face, which had only just begun to heal. The loss of his lightsaber was even more devastating; he’d made it himself, it had been a crucial component of his training and his new identity once he’d begun working with Snoke. If Hux had left them on Starkiller, there would be severe consequences. Ren arrived on the bridge with a scowl on his face, brushing past officers and staff who were doing double-takes as they saw him.

“General,” Ren began, approaching the man as he stood at one of the consoles. Hux turned and looked at him as though he were seeing a ghost. When Hux’s eyes met his, Ren felt a pang in his stomach. It wasn’t as strong of a feeling as when Hux had visited him in the medbay, but it was a similar wave of emotion. Ren gritted his teeth and fought it down.

“I wasn’t aware that Dr. Hanold had released you,” Hux said after a second, evidently unaware of their connection and the churning sensation in Ren’s gut.

“Yes. I would like to speak with you,” Ren said simply.

Hux seemed apprehensive and stood up a little straighter (a nervous tic Ren had picked up on ages ago). “Very well. I have questions for you as well,” Hux said. “Follow me.” Ren acquiesced and followed Hux into one of the meeting chambers in a corridor off of the bridge. When they were both seated and the heavy metal door had slid closed behind them, Hux fixed his gaze on Ren, taking in the rare sight of the man’s face. “Well?” Hux finally prompted him.

“I read the reports on Starkiller,” Ren began.

Hux fought off the urge to roll his eyes. “If you’ve read the reports, you know all there is to know about it. I’ve spent enough time talking about this, and it’s not my problem that you were incapacitated for all that time,” Hux said tersely.

“You were the one who went back for me,” Ren stated, the words somehow coming out like an accusation.

“Yes,” Hux said, shifting the slightest bit in his chair. He didn’t want to have this conversation, not with his new orders from Snoke. “What of it?” Ren was silent for a moment, and Hux could see that he was struggling to find the right words. It was strange to see expressions of any sort on Ren’s face. Most of the time he was able to ignore the fact that Ren was a real person.

“I don’t understand why.”

Hux only paused for a second. “I thought Snoke would be even angrier if I let you die.”

“Have you spoken with him?” Ren asked, more interested now.

“Yesterday he ordered us to chart a course for the Delos system. That was all,” Hux said nonchalantly. “I believe he was angry nonetheless.”

“That’s understandable,” Ren said automatically.

Hux glared daggers at him. “Yes, well had I any time to do so, I would have mentioned that it was _your_ indiscretion and recklessness that led those rebels to us in the first place,” he practically spat. “I should have left you.”

“Yes, you should have,” Ren spat back at him. He seemed to compose himself after a second, and added, “but I appreciate that you didn’t. Thank you.”

The General was stunned for a second, not having expected anything like that to come from Ren. “Don’t thank me,” he said disgustedly. “It’s my biggest regret from that day.” Hux rose from the table.

“Then why were you so concerned about me?” Ren asked, looking up at him. “You were there, in the medbay, when I woke up.” Ren wanted to ask about whatever it was that had been eating away at Hux, but he couldn’t find the right way to say it. Besides, the feeling seemed to be lessened today—either that, or Ren had gotten back enough strength to fight it off.

“I was having a conversation with Dr. Hanold when she got word that you’d come round,” Hux half-lied.

Ren took a stab in the dark, hoping his instinct was correct. “But that wasn’t the only time you looked in on me.”

Hux’s face darkened, wondering how Ren could know that if he’d been unconscious. Probably some Force-related nonsense. Ren smirked, glad that he’d been right. Hux searched for a response, but could think of none that didn’t sound idiotic. Telling Ren that he’d found even a shred of tranquility sitting by his bedside was out of the question, so he changed the subject. “When you saw me you screamed. It sounded like you were being tortured,” Hux commented as he sat down again, trying to downplay his curiosity.

Ren was silent now, thinking of how to approach the subject. Something was… _wrong_ with Hux—the Force rarely allowed Ren such insight into other peoples’ emotions. “I wasn’t myself then, I’d just regained consciousness. And the Force…showed me something unexpected,” Ren said, choosing his words carefully. He’d always been guarded with Hux.

“Something about me?” Hux asked, unable to hide his curiosity.

“Yes,” Ren said reluctantly. Hux watched him expectantly, waiting for him to go on. “I can sense that you are…disturbed.”

“Excuse me?”

“Intense emotions can be communicated through the Force and perceived by someone who is Force-sensitive,” Ren explained, knowing that Hux would only understand if he grossly simplified the matter. “And for whatever reason, either because I was still recovering, or because you were particularly…distressed, that link was very…intense. I can still feel it.” It felt like an invasion to be discussing this with Hux. Ren wished he’d never been made privy to whatever turmoil Hux was going through; he preferred to keep their lives as separate as possible. Hux remained silent, and the tension in the room seemed deafening to Ren. “You wanted to know, now you know,” he muttered, vaguely annoyed at the awkwardness between them now.

“I’m fine,” Hux asserted quietly in a voice that sounded like a dam holding back a floodwater of emotion.

Ren rolled his eyes, unconcerned that Hux could see his expression. “I don’t care _how_ you are, I just want you to get control of whatever it is so that I stop feeling your secondhand emotions whenever I see you,” he said cuttingly. “Now, where are my belongings?”

Hux stared blankly at him for a moment, processing what Ren had just said. He stood up straighter and composed himself enough to resume the haughty expression he usually employed while talking to Ren. “To what are you referring?”

“My lightsaber and mask,” Ren said through gritted teeth. “They belong to me, I want them back.”

“Childish as ever,” Hux said under his breath. “Follow me.” He led Ren through the bridge and down the corridor. The two walked in silence, Hux keeping his face impassive and his mind blank, ignoring the way his heart was pounding. This needed to be done, there was no way around it. Hux had taken lives before, he’d caused the destruction of entire planets, he didn’t understand why his stomach was churning. He had been in far more stressful situations, and he had been fine then, so what was wrong with him now? He didn’t like Ren, he kept telling himself. Going back for him on Starkiller had been instinctive, yes, but it was a self-preservation instinct, if anything. Ren meant nothing to him. He had no problem doing this, it was business.

“You should have left them in the medbay. Or had them sent to my quarters,” Ren muttered, catching sight of his belongings on a table and heading for them. He was happy to put distance between himself and Hux—the wave of raw emotion emanating from the other man was growing now. Ren resolved to look into it, to find out why the two of them were suddenly linked.

“I was…curious,” Hux said, taking a deep breath. “About the lightsaber in particular. I’ve never…seen one up close, really.” Hux began strategizing, trying to figure out how to manipulate Ren, get him to play into Hux’s own hand. That was where Hux’s strengths lay, and he tried to remind himself of that to quell the slight tremor in his voice. “You made it yourself, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did,” Ren said with a hint of pride.

“May I…see it?” Hux asked quietly, laying the admiration on thickly.

Ren gave Hux a wary gaze, clearly not having expected the request. “Alright,” Ren finally said, handing it over. “Be careful.”

Hux took hold of the handle and again felt the thing nearly jerk out of his grip, as if it knew what was about to happen. Hux could feel his thin veneer of control dissolving. Perhaps his father had been right, and all his teachers and superiors under his father’s thrall had just been lying to Hux all along. Hux had shown no promise, he had no future in the First Order. He had been a weak child and had grown into a weak man, with no resolve or ambition. He made poor decisions, then tried to worm his way out of punishment. If he did somehow manage to eliminate Ren like Snoke wanted, it would only be a matter of time before he screwed up again, and next time there would be no escape. He was destined for ignominy and disgrace and he didn’t deserve his position in the first place. Hux felt himself coming apart at the seams as these thoughts took hold of his mind; all the mistakes he’d made lately, all the people he’d disappointed, all the fear that he held inside. His breathing became erratic, his hands shook, he heard nothing but static in his ears.

He dropped the lightsaber to the floor and staggered backwards, his vision blurring as he succumbed to abject panic. Ren said something that Hux didn’t register. Bending down, Ren picked up the lightsaber, switched it off, then turned to Hux, his eyes full of confusion and worry. Hux felt himself gasping for air, choking on his own breath, hyperventilating, and he sank to the floor, feeling ashamed that he couldn’t hold himself together, that Ren was seeing him like this. Ren knelt down in front of him and grabbed Hux’s hands, holding them firmly with his eyes closed. The room in front of Hux seemed to melt away, and everything slowed down.

He was looking at a mountain range at dusk. The breeze was rustling the treetops around him as he stood on a peak, looking out over the canyons spread out in front of him. It was like witnessing the bedrock of the planet being carved out just for him. The stars were beginning to come out. It was breathtaking.

The view shifted to a prairie on a cloudless afternoon. Grasses rustled in the wind, making the plains look like an undulating ocean. They seemed to whisper to him, and Hux felt his breathing slow as if to match their tempo. He heard a voice amidst the rustling, a soft, gentle sound comforting him. “You’re alright. You don’t need to be scared.” Hux felt the sun, warm on his skin, and looked in awe at the view in front of him as the voice spoke. It took him a long time to realize it was Ren’s voice. He’d never heard Ren speak like that.

It felt like waking up from a dream when Hux finally opened his eyes. He blinked away tears, the awe and peace he’d just felt still with him. Ren was kneeling in font of him, holding his hands to his forehead. Hux lowered their entwined hands so he could see Ren’s face as the other man opened his eyes.

“He wants me to kill you, Ren.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed this, leave a comment! I thrive on attention.


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